Sports

Soccer Star Announces He’s Gay, Stepping Away From the Sport

Robbie Rogers' soccer career began on the fields of Orange County.

Fountain Valley native Robbie Rogers stellar soccer career appears to be over and he announced that he is gay in a post on his website that begins: “The Next Chapter …”

“Life is simple when your secret is gone,” Rogers wrote. “Gone is the pain that lurks in the stomach at work, the pain from avoiding questions, and at last the pain from hiding such a deep secret.”

Rogers’ agent confirmed to The Associated Press on Saturday that the post was written by Rogers.

Find out what's happening in Fountain Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Rogers, 25, played on the U.S. national team and for Leeds United. In the United States, he played five seasons with the Columbus Crew, including the 2008 season when the team won the MLS Cup. 

Rogers also made an announcement on Twitter, which drew many tweets of support from players.

Find out what's happening in Fountain Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Read a full report on ESPNFC.Com and SI.com.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Fountain Valley